More bodies on accidents, order on roads

Fatalities on roads are on rise with the 2019 death tally being the highest in the past 10 years while the government is forming committees one after another to control accidents and bring order on roads.

Till September 2019, 3,060 deaths, and 3,292 injuries, and 3,009 traffic accidents were recorded and the death figure the highest after 2008.

A taskforce, led by home minister Asaduzzaman Khan to strengthen order on road transport sector and control road accidents, on Sunday formed four sub-committees for making recommendations and prepare action plans in next two months.

In 2018, 2,635 people were killed and 1,920 were injured in 2,609 traffic accidents.

The percentage of deaths in accident increased this year by around 16 per cent comparing with last year.

Road accidents took 2,513 lives in 2017, the figure was 2,463 in 2016, 2,376 in 2015, 2,067 in 2014, 1,957 in 2013, 2,538 in 2012, 2,546 in 2011, 2,646 in 2010, 2,958 in 2009, and 3,765 in 2008, the data of Bangladesh Police shows.

The apex body on road safety — the National Road Safety Council formed two committees at its 26th meeting on February 17 this year.

One of the committees was led by the former shipping minister Shajahan Khan, also executive president of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation, for submitting recommendations to bring back order on roads and control accidents and it submitted 111 immediate, short and long term recommendations to the prime minister Sheikh Hasina on April 28.

Another committee was formed with home minister, law minister Anisul Huq and railways minister Nurul Islam Sujon to give recommendations for implementation of the Road Transport Act 2018.

After exchanging views on the recommendations with the committees, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on August 22 said they were considering formulation of a taskforce to implement these recommendations and a 33-member taskforce was formed on October 15.

The first meeting of the taskforce was held on Thursday at the home ministry with Asaduzzaman Khan in the chair.

Later at a press briefing, Asaduzzman said they formed four sub-committees headed by secretaries of Road Transport and Highways Division, Public Security Division, information ministry and Local Government Division to submit action plans and recommendations within two months by identifying the weakness and necessary actions.

The committees would work to prepare action plans for removing the weakness of BRTA, traffic management and engineering problems, creating awareness among road users, and identifying problems on roads in district levels, he explained. ‘After two months, we will again meet and then go forward,’ he said. 

Replying a question over lengthy process of implementing the recommendations while accidents were on raise, home minister said, ‘We are yet to start work as the taskforce was formed recently.’

About the new road law, he said the law was under implementation which was not suspended.

‘There are some issues like issuance driving licences, correcting modification of vehicles and waiver of fines and these matters will be solved by June 30, 2020,’ he said. 

He said they also reached a consensus to strengthen Bangladesh Road Transport Authority for carrying out its duties.  

Decision was also taken to co-opt three more members in the taskforce including the secretary of Public Security Division, he said.

Replying another question, the minister said they were considering including experts from Accident Research Institute in investing sensitive accident cases for expert opinion.

Shajahan Khan said they did not call the recent work abstention while the drivers did not drive vehicles due to lack of licences and valid documents of these vehicles.

Earlier on Saturday he said the workers federation would not call any programme till June 30 next year.

The road safety taskforce comprises of secretaries of Secondary and Higher Education Division, Technical and Madrasah Education Division, Local Government Division, Road Transport and Highways Division, Health Services Division, Security Services Division and ministries of Primary and Mass Education, Information, Railways, Industries and Commerce, inspector general of police, chief engineers of Roads and Highways Department and Local Government Engineering Department, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority executive director, one representative from the Cabinet Division, chairmen of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, additional inspector of general highway police, chief executive officers of Dhaka South and North city corporations, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, BUET professor Shamsul Hoque, Nirapad Sarak Chai chairman Ilias Kanchan, one representative from Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners’ Association, Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation, Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners’ Association, Bangladesh Prime Mover Association, BRAC and an additional secretary from RTHD.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net